Compact Case With Detachable Leaves

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a makeup compact with one or more detachable leaves for holding cosmetic products that may be detached and replaced when the cosmetic product is depleted or as otherwise desired by the user. The leaves may also be detached from the compact and interchanged with different detachable leaves holding different cosmetic products.

TECHNICAL HELD

The present invention generally relates to the field of cosmetics cases that house, protect and store facial cosmetic products, such as, for example, foundations, concealers, eye shadows, lipsticks, lip glosses, mascara, and makeup application tools such as, for example, brushes, mirrors, and tweezers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel makeup compact with detachable leaves for housing makeup and facial application tools.

BACKGROUND

Makeup compacts are known in the art. Conventional makeup compacts typically comprise a top housing, a bottom housing, and one or more receptacles filled with one or more cosmetic products. Typically, each receptacle is fixedly attached to the interior of the compact. As such, once one of the receptacles is empty, the entire compact is no longer of use to the user, and is typically discarded. Alternatively, the receptacles may be cleansed and refilled with the depleted cosmetic product. But this process is difficult and is highly inefficient for the user.

In addition, traditional compacts typically house only one or two types of cosmetic products. Thus, if a user wants to carry and apply more than one cosmetic product, the user has to carry more than one makeup compact. This is also inefficient, cumbersome, and inconvenient.

Compacts with removable receptacles are also known in the art. In these compacts, the receptacles themselves are removable from the inside of a compact lid. This allows the user to refill and customize the receptacles with desired products. These prior art receptacles may be removable in a variety of different ways, such as, for example through the use of magnets. However, these solutions are complicated and unsatisfactory for efficient and easy use.

One reason compacts with removable receptacles are inefficient is their large size. The size of the receptacles in a compact (and by extension, the amount of cosmetic product the receptacles are capable of housing) is directly related to the size of the compact case itself. For example, a wider or larger compact has more interior surface area for receptacles, and therefore may hold more cosmetic product. Ideally, a user would have as much surface area as possible in which to house and arrange a customized selection of cosmetics products. To enable this degree of flexibility, a compact with removable receptacles would have to be quite large. However, users typically desire cosmetic compacts to be small and conveniently carried. Compacts are typically placed and transported in purses, handbags, pockets, or other places where space is limited. They also may be used to apply makeup in places where there is little room to maneuver. Thus, large compacts may be difficult to manipulate. Therefore, despite the refillable nature of the receptacles, the usefulness of a compact with removable receptacles is severely limited by its large size.

Compacts with multiple fixed leaves are also known in the art. Typically, a portion of the faces of these leaves are recessed to form receptacles that may hold cosmetic product. Having multiple leaves provides additional surface area to hold cosmetic product. However, compacts with fixed leaves are still inconvenient due to the lack of flexibility of removing, customizing, or refilling the compact with cosmetic products that the user desires. For example, if there is more than one type of product in the compact and the user finishes one of them before the other, the user may cleanse and refill the empty receptacle, discard the compact, or carry an additional compact to replace the depleted one, all of which, as noted above, are undesirable options.

As such, there is a need for a compact case with detachable leaves that is small, convenient to carry, customizable, and refillable when product replacement is desired.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to a makeup compact with one or more detachable leaves for holding cosmetic products that may be detached and replaced when the cosmetic product is depleted or as otherwise desired by the user. The leaves may also be detached from the compact and interchanged with different detachable leaves holding different cosmetic products.

In a preferred embodiment, the compact according to the present invention comprises a top member, a bottom member, a base member, and one or more detachable leaves that may be removably connected to the base member.

The compact according to the present invention is advantageous because it allows the user to easily remove,replace, and interchange leaves when the cosmetic product housed by the leaf is depleted.

The compact according to the present invention is also advantageous because it allows the user to customize a compact with leaves containing the cosmetic product of its choice.

The compact according to the present invention is further advantageous because it allows for multiple cosmetic products to be housed in a single conveniently sized compact.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the following detailed description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A depicts a top view of an open compact with a single detachable leaf;

FIG. 1B depicts a top view of a single detachable leaf;

FIG. 2A depicts an illustrative view of a first preferred leaf embodiment;

FIG. 2B depicts an illustrative view of a second preferred leaf embodiment;

FIG. 2C depicts an illustrative view of a third preferred leaf embodiment;

FIG. 3A depicts a perspective view of a first preferred compact embodiment;

FIG. 3B depicts a closed cross-section view of a first preferred compact embodiment;

FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of a second preferred compact embodiment;

FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of a third preferred compact embodiment; and

FIG. 6A-B depict the lines along which an injection molded plastic structure may be cut in order to form the top and bottom housing of a compact.

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, the present invention relates to a makeup compact comprising detachable leaves having recessed areas, or receptacles, that hold cosmetic products. The leaves may be detached, removed, interchanged, and refilled as desired.

FIG. 1A shows one preferred embodiment of the present invention. Depicted is an open makeup compact 100 comprising a top housing 110, a bottom housing 112, a base member 114, and a leaf 116. The leaf 116 comprises a main member 118, a connecting member 119, and a cylindrical hinge pin 120. The cylindrical hinge pin 120 may be detachably connected to the base member 114, which is molded to the bottom housing 112. As discussed further below, the base member 114 and the cylindrical hinge pin 120 allow the leaf to be detachably connected to the compact.

In a preferred embodiment, the compact opens and closes in a clam shell-like manner. The top housing 110 may comprise a convex elliptical shape. The bottom housing 112 may also comprise a convex elliptical shape. When the compact 100 is closed, the top housing 110 and the bottom housing 112 meet and align along their perimeter edges.

In a preferred embodiment, the top and bottom housings 110, 112 are fixedly connected to one another by a hinge assembly 126. As shown in FIG. 1A, the top housing 110 has two arms 117, 121 molded to its base end. The arms 117, 121 of the top housing 110 extend in the horizontal direction away from the base end of the top housing 110. The ends of the arms 117, 121 distal to the top housing 110 are preferably rounded so that the arms do not come into contact with the bottom housing 112 when the top housing is pivoted about a shaft 328 as discussed below. Near the center of each of the ends of the arms 117, 121, there is a hole (not shown). The hole is used to mount the arms 117, 121 to a shaft 328 that is mounted inside a hinge cover 127 at the base end of the bottom housing 112. The hinge cover 127 is preferably created when the top housing 110 is cut away from the bottom housing 112 after an injection molding process as discussed below. The hinge cover 127 has two grooves 129, 131, one at each end of the housing. In order to connect the top housing 110 to the bottom housing 112, the arms 117, 121 mount to the shaft 328 through their respective holes and extend through the grooves 129, 131. The arms 117, 121 may pivot about the shaft 328 so that the compact 100 may be opened and closed without the arms 117 and 121 coming into contact with the bottom housing 112. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other structures may be used to fixedly connect the top and bottom housings 110, 112 without deviating from the scope of the present invention. Similarly, structures that allow the top and bottom housings 110, 112 to be removably connected to one another are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

Once closed, the top and bottom housings 110, 112 are preferably secured in the closed position by a clasp assembly 350. The clasp assembly comprises a clasp member 351 at the top end of the top housing 110. As shown in FIG. 3B, when the compact is closed, the clasp member 351 engages the top end of the bottom side of the bottom housing 112 such that the compact is secured in the closed position. The clasp member 351 has an indentation 352 that securely engages with a tooth 353 on the top end of the bottom housing 112 when the clasp member 351 is pressed against the tooth 353. The clasp member 351 is preferably flexible to allow it to be detachably connected to the tooth 353. As is apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, the top and bottom housings 110, 112 may be secured in the closed position by other well known means. Alternatively, the top and bottom housings 110, 112 may be secured in the closed position by other means not including a clasp assembly. For example, the hinge assembly may be designed with sufficient resistance such that without a certain degree of force, the top and bottom housings may be held in the closed position without a clasp assembly. As is apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, other such closures may be used and are considered to be within the scope of the invention.

In a preferred embodiment, the leaf 116 may be oblong in shape. The main member 118 of the leaf 116 may comprise one or more recessed areas, or receptacles, on its face. The leaf 116 depicted in FIG. 1A comprises one such receptacle 130. In another preferred embodiment, there may be one or more recessed areas on the face of leaf 116. For example, the leaf depicted in FIG. 1B houses two such receptacles 132, 133. In a further preferred embodiment, the compact may house one or more leaves 116 as discussed below.

A preferred embodiment of a makeup compact capable of housing two detachable leaves is shown in FIG. 3A. As depicted in FIG. 1A, the base member 114 comprises a first set of snap fingers A1/A2 that are molded to the bottom housing 112. The snap fingers A1/A2 are spaced apart at a distance such that the connecting member 119 fits in between the two snap fingers. Each of the ends of the snap fingers A1/A2 are angled such that the snap fingers resemble an inverted “L” and so that they may grasp opposite ends of the hinge pin 120 once the leaf 116 is snapped into position as discussed below.

In a preferred embodiment, the base member 114 also comprises a mechanical stop 323. As is depicted in FIG. 3B, the mechanical stop 323 comprises a first and second plane 324, 325. A second set of L-shaped snap fingers B1/B2 are molded to the first plane 324. A third set of snap fingers C1/C2 are molded to the second plane 325. Snap fingers C1/C2 preferably have flat ends.

In a preferred embodiment, the leaf 340 may be detachably connected to the base member 114 by inserting the connecting member 119 between the snap fingers A1/A2 such that the ends of hinge pin 120 engage between the area formed by the interior of snap fingers A1/A2 and the exterior of snap fingers B1/B2 and the first plane 324. Preferably, the hinge pin 120 is able to pivot about its axis. The leaf 340 may be detached from the base member by slightly flexing snap fingers A1/A2 away from the cylindrical member in order to disengage the hinge pin 120. The leaf 338 may be detachably connected to the base member 114 between snap fingers B1/B2 such that the ends of hinge pin 120 engage between the area formed by the interior of snap fingers B1/B2 and the exterior of snap fingers C1/C2 and the second plane 325 As is apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, other types mechanisms that allow for detachability of a leaf 340 and pivotability about the axis of the hinge pin 120 may be used and are considered to be within the scope of the invention.

In addition to one or more leaves being detachably connected to the compact, leaves may be interchanged as well. Any number of leaves with the same mechanical ability to detachably connect to the base member of a compact may be attached, removed, and interchanged with other leaves that may then be connected in their place. In this manner, the user may customize which leaves are placed into the compact at any point in time. For example, on a daily basis, a user may select her leaves based on her choice of clothing color, accessories, and planned schedule for the day. A user may have her preferred selection for workday, weekend, evening out, and other such day-to-day activities.

In a preferred embodiment, the leaf 116 may also comprise a tab 122 extending from the main member. The tab 122 may preferably be used to label the leaf 116. FIG. 2 shows an illustrative view of three preferred embodiments of the leaf 216.

FIG. 2A shows a preferred embodiment of the leaf 216 that comprises a single receptacle 230 covering virtually the entire face of the main member 218. FIG. 2B shows a second preferred embodiment of leaf 216 that comprises two receptacles 231, 232, side by side on the leaf 216, together covering virtually the entire face of the main member 218. FIG. 2C shows a third preferred embodiment of leaf 216 that comprises three receptacles 234-236.

In a preferred embodiment, the compact and leaves are made of injection-molded plastic. This compact is created starting with a solid mold of plastic. In order to create the pieces that form the top and bottom housing of the compact, a first cut is made along the line A-A, to a halfway depth in the mold, as shown in FIG. 6A, at a point that is sufficient distance from the right end of the mold to leave sufficient material to form hinge cover 127. A second cut is made along the line B-B, to a halfway depth in the compact at a point near that is sufficient distance from the left end of the mold to leave sufficient material to form clasp assembly 350. A third cut is made along the line C-C, along the perimeter of the compact 100, as shown in FIG. 6B in order to split the mold into the top housing and the bottom housing. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other materials and methods may be used as well.

With the preferred structure of the present invention having been described above, the preferred function is now described. The function of the present invention is to house and protect cosmetic products and application tools for a user inside an efficiently packaged and easily organized, refillable, and customizable compact.

In a preferred embodiment, the compact as described above is designed to hold detachable leaves 216 that comprise receptacles (as shown in FIG. 2) that house cosmetic products. Each receptacle may house one or more cosmetic products for application by a user. The cosmetic products may comprise any one or more of the following: foundation, applicator brush, mirror, concealer, lip gloss, lipstick, mascara, blusher,eye shadow, or a lipstick/liner or a mascara/eyeliner duo, among other products. The term cosmetic product, when used in this disclosure, is not limited to the products listed above, rather, is intended to include any and all products that are in any way applied to the skin to enhance or change the skin's appearance. The tab on the leaf may be used to identify the product housed by the leaf, the shade of the product housed, or directions for applying the product, among other attributes.

The hinge assembly 126 connecting the top and bottom housings 110, 112 allows the user to open and close the compact, and access the products inside the compact. The scope of the invention is not meant to be limited to hinges only. Rather, any assembly that fixedly connects two members about a point such that the member can be opened and closed relative to each other is considered to be within the scope of the invention.

The clasp assembly 350 is used to secure the top and bottom housings 110, 112 in a closed position for a desired period of time, thereby protecting the cosmetic products inside the compact from contamination by external sources in the surrounding environment (e.g., air or the inside of a purse). Similarly, the surrounding environment is protected, be it the inside of a user's jean pocket or the laptop beneath the compact in a user's bag, from coming into contact with the cosmetic product in the compact. The scope of the present invention is intended to encompass any closure that secures two members in a closed position such that the integrity of the members is not compromised by attaching and detaching them.

FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the makeup compact of the present invention. The compact comprises a top housing 310, a bottom housing 312, and a base member 314. In this embodiment, there are two detachable leaves 338, 340 connected to the base member 314. Base member 314 comprises two set of snap fingers A1/A2 and B1/B2, and B1/B2 and C1/C2, respectively.

In this embodiment, the first leaf 338 comprises two receptacles. The first receptacle may preferably house concealer and the second receptacle may house eye shadow base. The second leaf 340 comprises a single receptacle and may preferably house foundation. A mirror 341 may be affixed to the inner face of the top housing 110. The mirror 341 may be used to facilitate the user's application of the cosmetics. The area between the bottom housing and the leaf 340 forms a pocket 343 for housing an applicator brush 344 that may be used to apply the products housed in the compact's leaves. For example, in an embodiment where one of the leaves houses concealer, an applicator brush properly angled to apply concealer to a user's skin may be housed in the pocket 343. The top housing and bottom housing 312, 314 are aligned along their perimeter, and fixedly attached via the hinge assembly 326 at one end, for opening and closing as described above. At the other end, the top and bottom housings 312, 314 may secured in a closed position by a clasp assembly 350 as described above. A user may open the compact by pressing upward on the clasp member 351 in order to disengage the top and bottom housings 312, 314.

FIG. 4 shows a second preferred embodiment of the makeup compact of the present invention. The compact comprises a top housing 410, a bottom housing 412, and a base member 414. In this embodiment, two detachable leaves are removably connected to the base member 414. The first leaf 446 comprises three receptacles. The first receptacle may preferably house one matte lipstick. The second receptacle may preferably house lip gloss, possibly in a coordinating shade to the lipstick. The third receptacle may preferably house an applicator brush in between the lipstick and lip gloss.

The second leaf 448 comprises a single receptacle which houses blusher. One of the top or bottom housings houses a lighted mirror that may be permanently or removably affixed to the interior of the top or bottom housings of the compact. The hinge assembly, the clasp assembly, and the attachment of the leaf 446 to the base member 414 preferably operate the same as described with respect to FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a third preferred embodiment of the makeup compact of the present invention. The compact comprises a top housing 510, a bottom housing 512, and a base member 514. In this embodiment, there is one detachable leaf 550 removably connected to the base member 514. The leaf 550 comprises three receptacles. The first receptacle may preferably house a first shade of eye shadow. The second receptacle preferably houses a second shade of eye shadow. It is also possible that both receptacles house the same shade of eye shadow. The third receptacle preferably houses an applicator brush that may be positioned to reside between the two receptacles housing eye shadow. Again, the top and bottom housings are fixedly attached at their edges by a hinge assembly 526 which allows the top and bottom housings 510, 512 to pivot with respect to one another about the hinge. In addition, the top and bottom housings 510, 512 may be removably connected to each other by a clasp member 551 in the manner described in FIG. 3 above. Also, the base member 514 holds the cylindrical bar of the leaf 550, as described in FIG. 3.

A user may utilize the cosmetic compacts described above to become more efficient in carrying, storing, and applying cosmetics. The removable and interchangeable leaf arrangement allows a user to customize what products are in a compact, to design the arrangement and organization of the compact, and to conveniently package together different products needed. The cosmetics are efficiently grouped and arranged by a typical order of application by a user. For example, regarding one preferred embodiment of the compact, concealer and eye shadow base are packaged together, which is logical as they are applied at the same or similar stage of makeup application. Similarly, another leaf in the same compact may house foundation, which users typically apply immediately before or after the concealer, depending on preference. An arrangement with all of these products in one compact facilitates maneuverability and application for the user. This also saves the user time in manipulating makeup cases, and causes makeup application to be a faster process. Similar efficiencies exist in the embodiment housing lipstick and lip gloss together as typically these are applied one after the other. Whenever a receptacle becomes empty, a user may preferably remove leaves with empty receptacles and replace them with new leaves.

A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the compact could be designed with only a bottom housing, a base member, and a detachable leaf. The base member would be connected to the bottom housing and the leaves would still removably connected to the base member via their hinge pins. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. 

1. An apparatus comprising: a bottom member; a base member; and one or more leaves that are detachably connected to the base member.
 2. An apparatus comprising: a top member; a bottom member; a base member, and one or more leaves that are detachably connected to the base member.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a hinge assembly fixedly connects the top member to the bottom member.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the hinge assembly further comprises: a housing member, the housing member comprising one or more grooves; a shaft mounted inside the housing member; and one or more arms molded to the top member, the arms being connectable to the shaft such that the arms are pivotable about the shaft through the grooves of the housing member.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a clasp assembly secures the top and bottom members in a closed position.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the top member comprises a clasp member, the clasp member further comprising an indentation, and the bottom member comprises a tooth, the clasp member being engageable to the tooth.
 7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the leaf comprises: a main member, a hinge pin for detachably connecting the leaf to the base member.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the base member comprises a first pair of snap fingers; a second pair of snap fingers; and a mechanical stop, the first pair of snap fingers, the second pair of snap fingers, and the mechanical stop forming an area to receive the hinge pin.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the leaf is detachably connected to the compact by inserting the hinge pin in the area formed by the first pair of snap fingers, the second pair of snap fingers, and the mechanical stop.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the leaf is pivotable about the axis of the hinge pin.
 11. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the base member is fixedly attached to either the top or bottom member.
 12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the main member comprises one or more recessed areas for housing cosmetic product.
 13. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the leaf comprises a tab. 